


Silence at Dream's End

by ClockworkCourier



Series: The Liquid Engineers 'Verse [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Human Experimentation, Laboratories, M/M, Size Difference
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 13:28:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1552139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockworkCourier/pseuds/ClockworkCourier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At night, Eren heard whispers all around him. "You're a monster," they said. "And you're going to prove that to everyone."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silence at Dream's End

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is it! The very last fic in the Liquid Engineers AU. I've been so excited to write this fic in particular ever since I finished writing TLE back in October. Sudden Sense of Liberty was a pretty good holdover until I got the plot for this one figured out. Now I have an outline for this beast after working on it for nearly three months, and I'm completely psyched to actually put it into motion! Lots of drama to come, for sure. :D
> 
> On that note, SSoL is sort of being put on hold while I write this. I'm not done with it, but it's pretty much a filler between the two major fics. I'll probably add to it over the course of writing this fic, since there's some things that will probably still need to be explained or at least some supplemental fun stories between the deluge of tears. Happy day! 
> 
> Finally, there's quite a few people that I'm dedicating this to, but for sake of current brevity, they'll all be down at the bottom! Of course, there's more people than I can add right this moment, since so many people have inspired this fic, encouraged it, or supported it in some way. So, in general, it's dedicated to everyone who liked and supported TLE. You've made this a pretty rad journey. uwu

Armin watched as steam dissipated in the soft glow of the light above the stove. It billowed up in small clouds, hypnotic enough that it took him a moment to realize that the water in the tea kettle was boiling. With a wince at accidentally touching the metal part of the handle, he lifted up the kettle and poured the water into his cup. In an instant, the warm scent of citrus wafted up from the cup, momentarily soothing his frayed nerves.  
  
It was still dark outside, sunrise still some hours away. However, Armin hadn’t been able to sleep. Half the night, he tossed and turned, only able to doze for a few minutes at a time before doubt and worry flooded his mind like an unstoppable deluge. Even with Eren sleeping almost motionlessly beside him, completely peaceful and calm, it was impossible to get any rest.  
  
The proverbial hourglass had finally run out, ticking out the last grains of sand with every sentence Eren was able to string together. After a court-mandated visit in order to test Eren’s level of education, a trial had finally been set, even though Armin begged for more time. It wasn’t as though Eren wasn’t ready, as he had shown that he was able to think and reason at the level of someone of his supposed age. The real anxiety lay in the possibility that no matter what Eren could show the court, they would find some reason to take him away again, possibly forever. Even though he hadn’t been executed, the threat never stopped looming. It had only changed when he became human.   
  
Armin had hoped and prayed that the court date would be postponed even longer, if only to hold off the inevitable. No matter how prepared they could be, it wouldn’t be good enough. By the end of the day, Eren would either come back to Armin’s house safely, or be imprisoned for the rest of his life, or until the government decided to terminate it.   
  
He set the kettle back on the stove before resting his arms on the countertop, watching the steam waver and disappear. In that moment, he tried to find distraction in anything; the coolness of the floor tile beneath his bare feet, the early morning chill coming in through a draft in the window above the sink, the gentle creaking of the house as it settled. Yet his mind kept falling back to the man sleeping upstairs and whether or not he would be there by the next night.  
  
He hardly noticed any movement behind him until Mikasa suddenly cleared her throat. Armin turned to look at her, a fleece blanket wrapped around her shoulders and telltale dark circles under her eyes.  
  
“Can’t sleep?” he asked, keeping his voice down.  
  
She shook her head and walked up beside him, opening one of the cupboards and getting a teacup.   
  
They were silent as she went through the motions of making a cup of tea. When it finally began steeping, she leaned back against the counter and pulled the blanket tighter around her, staring at a spot on the floor.   
  
Armin didn’t even have to guess what she was thinking. The thought had loomed over the two of them for nearly three weeks, although the intensity varied as the day got closer. What she _truly_ felt, however, was still a mystery to him. He loved Eren, but he didn’t know how it felt to lose your sibling and suddenly gain them back unexpectedly, only to be threatened with losing them again.  
  
“Do you think he’ll do alright?” she suddenly asked. Her eyes didn’t move up from the floor, but he watched as she ran one toe up and down a crack in the tile. For a moment, the trained ace soldier of the military was gone, and in her place was a little girl, standing among the wreckage of a destroyed home and a destroyed family.   
  
“I... think so,” he answered, though there was no confidence in his voice. “Do you?”  
  
Mikasa stood silent for a long while, only the ticking of the kitchen clock breaking the monotony.   
  
“I think so if you think so,” she replied.  
  
The problem was that he _doubted_ Eren, which was certainly not the right thing to do. However, Armin was a pragmatist at his core, more inclined to think logically and realistically rather than fantastically. What he wanted and what was a possibly inevitable outcome appeared to be drastically different things. Yet he couldn’t voice this doubt, especially when all of it would be decided in the next twenty four hours.   
  
Most of all, Eren didn’t need his doubt. If Armin had to speak for him at any point, it would show if he was thinking it. He had to muster every last iota of confidence and belief that he had in him so that Eren would have the chance to survive. He had done it before on Eren’s behalf, relying for the first time on blind faith and chance rather than the realistic outcome.   
  
He took in a deep breath through his nose, smelling citrus and feeling steam against his skin. Mikasa needed to do this for her brother as much as Armin did. If Armin could sway her at all, make her feel better about the situation and more certain that she would be able to be with her brother by the next night, then he had to do the _right_ thing, rather than the logical thing.  
  
“I do,” he said, steeling his voice as best he could. “I think he’ll say exactly what he needs to say and that we’ll be able to take him home by tomorrow night.”  
  
Mikasa finally looked up at him, fixing him with a steady but imploring stare. She had a way of assessing people in completeness without ever having to say a word, and as well as she knew Armin by that point, he could feel her searching him for anything that would denote he didn’t believe what he was saying.   
  
Then she nodded, picking up her cup and quietly walking out into the living room. He understood. Both of them had been lost in thought lately, and the times when they could just be alone and _think_ were valuable. If she had believed him or not, he didn’t know, but he assumed that she was making herself have that same sort of faith in her brother, regardless of what she actually believed.   
  
With that, he took his own cup of tea and walked back up to his room, ready to stay beside Eren as long as he could and while he still was able.  
  
\---  
  
Despite not being the supreme court of the country, Trost’s courthouse was no less impressive. It was one of the older buildings in the city, from a time when aesthetics triumphed over cost effectiveness. In front of the actual courthouse itself was a small park, a statue of Justice in the center holding a set of iron scales aloft. Behind the park was a set of marble stairs leading up to a promenade lined on one side with a variation of trees and carefully maintained bushes, the other side boasting massive granite columns, all carved ornately and supporting a triangular roof. The flat face of the roof hosted a myriad of friezes, depicting famous trials and battles.   
  
Past the promenade and the columns were a set of intimidating archways leading to the main doors. The arches themselves were nearly four times the height of a human, carved out of a dusky gray stone like storm clouds. They were rigid and rectangular, as opposed to the graceful appearance of the columns. It wasn’t hard to notice people straightening their backs as they passed through them, as though the arches themselves were causing it.  
  
The interior of the courthouse was even more beautiful than the exterior. There were murals, paintings, and tapestries lining the walls, candelabras rendered out of brass painted like gold, statues and sculptures that seemed more likely to appear in a museum rather than a place of judicial deliberation. Yet it was hard to escape some of the imagery that continually appeared in the works of art, like scenes of punishment and death. The closer one looked at the scenery around them, the more it became apparent that the works of art were as good as a warning.  
  
The room that Eren’s trial was set to be held in was clearly reserved for matters of extreme importance. The space was enormous, daunting in height and design. Its architecture was also rigid and rectangular, built out of dark lacquered wood and flagstones. Behind the bench were four large shields, each depicting an aspect of the military. From left to right, it was the Cadets, the Scouts, the Garrison, and the Military Police. On the left side of the bench, for Eren’s case in particular, was a flag for the Science Association, essentially the same design as the Scout’s crest, but with a quill crossed over a golden baton.   
  
Unlike most courtrooms, the gallery wasn’t set at the back so much as it formed a rectangular amphitheater around the room. On the right side, it stopped just short of the jury box. The only thing separating the gallery from the main floor was a wooden bannister.   
  
For Eren’s case, an unusual seat was installed near the center of the room. It was a metal chair bolted to the floor. On the armrests were two sets of cuffs, each with a lock on it. At the base was another pair meant for ankles. It looked more like a torture device than an actual chair.  
  
\---  
  
Hanji was brimming with nervous energy. It wasn’t exactly a surprise regardless of the abominable hour in the morning that they were there, all crammed into a room meant for jury deliberation. While Mikasa and Jean quietly discussed something in one corner of the room, Armin and Levi watched as Hanji paced from one wall to the other, hands gripped tightly behind her back, her eyes wide and her expression completely manic.  
  
“So, they’ll probably bring Eren in after Zacklay comes in, which is kind of against the typical way things are done, but this is a weird case? So, anyway, he’ll come in and I’m thinking Nile’s going to be the one who reads stuff off because he’s _always_ the one to read stuff off--”  
  
She was cut off by Levi clearing his throat. Also unsurprisingly, he looked annoyed. “You’re doing a shitty job of explaining this if you’re trying to keep Arlert from getting nervous,” he said.  
  
Armin tried his best to hide a grateful smile, but he was sure that Levi had caught on, as he continued with the explanation while Hanji sat down and began fidgeting with a pencil she found on the coffee table. “Anyway, if she had explained this like a normal person, she would have told you that yes, Zacklay will be introduced first, but chances are that _he’ll_ be the one to read off the charges. Nile will most likely be representing government and military interest, which means our friend Weilman will be there as well,” Levi said, looking vaguely disgusted at the last part.  
  
Armin couldn’t forget the man in question, having been part of the prosecution at Eren’s execution. Despite all Armin had seen, he had never witnessed someone so bent on destroying someone else, so _afraid_ of something he didn’t understand. For him to be in attendance at the trial made Armin nauseous just thinking about it.  
  
“Aside from that,” Levi continued. “Protocol remains the same, as far as I can tell. The two sides, in this case being the government and military versus the Science Association, will present their respective cases as to how they view and want to deal with Eren. It’s all very technical and full of a lot of flouncy bullshit that you can kind of tune out. You’ve heard it all before.”  
  
“And Eren’s not representing himself?” Armin asked, frowning.  
  
Levi sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. “Hardly. Even Erwin agreed that it was best for the SA to represent Eren. As much as everyone waxed poetic about how he was going to be able to speak for himself, he’s not going to be doing a whole lot of it.”  
  
“So, it wouldn’t have mattered,” Armin replied, trying his best not to sound disappointed.  
  
It seemed like Levi was expecting that kind of response, as he looked mildly disgruntled. “It absolutely does matter,” he said. “You don’t think people like Weilman are going to pass up on the chance to make Eren look like an idiot, do you? They _want_ to see him fail so they can cite one more reason why he should be taken out of the picture. They’re going to try their damnedest to make him talk, and the best we can do is hold it off so we can surprise them.”  
  
Armin understood completely. Truth was, he guessed that people like Weilman, and for that matter what ever sort of group he was in, were probably planning as much as Armin had been.   
  
“They’re probably betting that Eren can’t do it,” Armin said, glancing over at Mikasa and Jean. They were still deep in conversation, but Jean looked a little more excited about what ever they were talking about.  
  
“Exactly,” Levi affirmed, crossing his arms over his chest. “It helped that you kept requesting an extension of the deadline. They probably figured that his case was hopeless, so you’ve got that going for you, I guess.”  
  
It didn’t do much to soothe Armin’s nerves, but it made him a little more confident.   
  
Hanji sat down beside Levi and rested her arms on her knees. “What’s good is that this is an inquisitorial trial, so Zacklay is the only person with any real say in what happens,” she added with a grin. “No jury for Weilman’s groups to pay off.”  
  
“However, that’s not exactly a beacon of hope for us,” Levi countered, maintaining his stare at Armin. “What we can’t forget is that Zacklay represents a larger cross section of government interest than people like Weilman. He _is_ the generalissimo, after all.”  
  
“But he’s neutral,” Hanji said, rolling her shoulders. “Or, he’s supposed to be. I mean, don’t let the people you saw at the execution make you think that the government’s bent on killing Eren and that no one else has a say in what happens. There’s definitely some interest in his case, and it’s not going to look too good for Zacklay if he sentences a possible scientific miracle to death.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean he won’t,” Levi said.  
  
“It just won’t look good,” Hanji concluded.  
  
The problem was, even though the nature of the banter had changed, and the scenery certainly had as well, Armin couldn’t help but compare the trial to the execution. Levi and Hanji were still giving him the rundown, trying to ease the pressure of the situation while also approaching it logically. There was still a line between Eren’s life and death, precariously balanced on the decision of one person. The opposition hadn’t changed, either. Armin just hoped that things still proceeded in Eren’s favor.  
  
The door behind them suddenly opened and all conversation ceased immediately. One of the security guards walked in, her posture rigid, her expression stern. “The trial will be starting shortly,” she said before turning on heel and walking back into the courtroom.   
  
There was a breath of silence in the room before Hanji stood up, her hands behind her back as she stretched. “Well, best not keep Eren waiting,” she said, trailing out after the guard.   
  
After she left, Levi walked beside Armin, keeping his gaze straight ahead. “I’m one of Eren’s representatives,” he said quietly. “Erwin and I will try to keep the trial running smoothly, but all I ask is that you trust us.”  
  
It didn’t seem like something Levi would normally say, and Armin felt like he had to listen for a different meaning. Whether it was the stress of the situation or Armin’s own exhaustion, he didn’t understand, but he nodded regardless. “Of course,” he replied.  
  
Levi didn’t say anything more.  
  
\---  
  
The courtroom gallery was packed with people. For a case that wasn’t meant to be publicized, the amount of people in attendance was staggering, ranging from scientists to soldiers, all the way down the chain to people who looked like civilians that had just walked in off the street. As Armin, Mikasa, and Jean were led to the farthest left side of the gallery, he was able to get a quick glance around to see if there was anyone he recognized.   
  
He caught a glimpse of both Pixis and Nile Dawk sitting close to the bench. Beside Pixis was Rico and another man Armin had never met. The three of them were sitting silently while Nile spoke to a young man sitting on his other side. However, Armin felt himself flinch at the cold glint of metal that caught a sliver of light behind Nile’s back. He and several soldiers beside him had rifles strapped over their shoulders, and it wasn’t easy to ignore the way that several of them looked like they were ready to fire them at a moment’s notice.  
  
Just down the row from them was Weilman, Pastor Nick, and a stout older man with a stern, malicious expression. Like Armin had feared, nearly everyone accompanying them was from the prosecution team at the execution. A lot of them had that same wild-eyed expression that Weilman had, sparing quick, paranoid glances around the room.   
  
When Armin managed to look away from them to the section of the gallery where members of the SA sat, he was pleased to see a lot of familiar faces. Dr. Ral was among them, sitting in between two taller men that Armin had seen in passing; one with straw blond hair tied into a small ponytail, the other with cropped gray hair and a sleepy expression. Both men were also senior scientists at the laboratory, which made Armin feel like he was in familiar territory. He was surprised to see Reiner sitting near the back of the row, still wearing his labcoat like he had just walked out of work. Annie and Bertholdt weren’t present, oddly enough.  
  
Levi sat beside Erwin on the right side of the gallery, directly parallel from Pixis and Nile. Hanji took a seat behind them, eagerly falling into conversation with a very tall man next to her, his hair falling in his eyes and an unkempt goatee on his chin.   
  
What alarmed Armin most was the metal chair in the center of the room. It was obvious that it was made for someone like Eren, as even in human form, he apparently needed to be restrained. However, Eren wasn’t anywhere in sight.  
  
Mikasa, Jean, and Armin finally took their seats, with Mikasa sitting between them. Her fists were clenched in her lap, her gaze directed at the chair just as Armin’s was.   
  
“Don’t tell me they’re going to put him in that,” she said under her breath.  
  
“That looks... I dunno, _medieval_ ,” Jean replied, cringing at the sight of it. “Do they really need that much metal to hold one guy in place? I mean, what is he gonna do, explode?”  
  
Before anyone could reply, a door behind the bench opened. The first person through it was a tall black-haired woman wearing a military uniform. Armin guessed she was the bailiff, which meant that the older man that walked in behind her was Generalissimo Zacklay. While the bailiff walked off to stand beside the bench, the older man sat down at it. His appearance didn’t exactly fit Armin’s idea of what Zacklay was like. He had a grandfatherly look to him, with glasses pushed down the bridge of his nose, hair roughly slicked back like he hadn’t put much effort into it, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.   
  
He cleared his throat as he picked up a stack of papers, tapping the base of them against the desk to get them in order. Then, he nodded to the bailiff who in turn made a quick waving gesture to a pair of security guards near the back of the room. They opened the doors for a set of four military officers, two on each side flanking Eren.  
  
The first thing Armin noticed was that Eren was in handcuffs. The second was that for once, he looked afraid. It wasn’t like the execution where he appeared to be at peace with his sentence. Armin didn’t know if it was because his new vulnerability as a human, or if he was in general just _scared_. Either way, his eyes were wide, his jaw clenched, his shoulders raised defensively. As he was ushered in, he glanced around the courtroom before the chair caught his eye. Then Armin could _watch_ the color drain from his face.  
  
One thing Armin had learned about Eren since he had been rescued was that his biggest fear was being trapped. Whether or not it could be called claustrophobia was debatable, but there was such a strong aversion to the concept that it gave him nightmares. He was afraid of being restrained to such a degree that he couldn’t move. His time in the containment area, and again when he was tied down to the floor of the execution chamber made him terrified of the prospect of having either of those things happen to him again. Being handcuffed certainly scared him, but the chair symbolized something more.  
  
Voicing his fear wasn’t going to make much of a difference, as the chair was obviously made to ease the minds of some of the attendees. Like Weilman, they probably were wary of the idea that Eren could somehow lose control, lapsing back into being a Titan regardless of the months upon months that he had remained human. In that case, as if a chair could somehow restrain such a transformation. It was almost laughable if the situation wasn’t so dire.  
  
Two of the officers made Eren sit down, while a third carefully removed the handcuffs. Immediately, Eren’s arms were forced into the restraints, and the last officer pushed his ankles into the last set. Although Armin’s view was mostly obscured by one of the officers, he could see Eren clenching his fists, keeping his gaze fixed forward like he was trying to keep his mind off of what was happening.   
  
When his restraints were adjusted and locked, two of the officers stood behind the chair, while the other two stood near the doors with the other guards. Even with the officers standing beside him, Eren looked completely and utterly alone, and there was nothing Armin wanted more than to go down there and at least sit beside him.  
  
Zacklay cleared his throat again, effectively drawing the attention of the room. “We will now proceed with the trial. The purpose of this inquisition is to determine the fate of this man, known as subject TF-1505 by the Science Association’s naming standards, and as Eren Jaeger, a name provided by his caretakers. Is this correct?”  
  
Erwin was the one to speak first, “Yes, sir.”  
  
“Very well,” Zacklay replied, holding up the stack of papers to read over. “President Smith, if you would please provide us an outline of the events leading to this inquisition?”  
  
“Certainly, sir,” Erwin said. He stood up with his hands behind his back, his posture military-grade perfection. “Subject TF-1505, in Titan form, was captured over a year ago by Trost’s Military and Science Corps, a joint effort of both the Cadets, Scouts, and Science Association. It’s commonly known by all who participated, including Jean Kirschstein and Mikasa Ackerman, both present today, that the subject was captured with minimal disturbance. It’s even been suggested that TF-1505 saved Mikasa Ackerman’s life, leading to further interest in the case on behalf of the Trost Testing Facility.   
  
“After these events in which TF-1505 was secured in the facility, several researchers participated in studying him, all with few results as the Titan was noted for having very little activity worth documenting. It wasn’t until the efforts of our own Dr. Hanji Zoe, also present today, that we had any tangible results at all. After Dr. Zoe moved on to other subjects, there was little research done until Armin Arlert became TF-1505’s head researcher. As it’s explained in the papers you’ve read, Generalissimo Zacklay, Mr. Arlert was more than qualified for the case, graduating with honors as well as having an excellent thesis that caught the attention of our facility.”  
  
“I’m familiar with his qualifications,” Zacklay affirmed.  
  
Erwin continued without a hitch. “Mr. Arlert’s research proved to be some of the most critical in the history of our facility. He provided proof of TF-1505’s exceptional intellect and emotional response, virtually unheard of in research carried out by the SA. He gained permission from myself and Director Levi to continue his observation, while providing detailed reports to both Levi and Dr. Zoe. In these reports, also provided to you, he recorded TF-1505’s progress in exceptional detail. I admit that I personally found some of these accounts to be fantastical, but Dr. Zoe affirmed from firsthand experience that Mr. Arlert was telling the truth.  
  
“Unfortunately, a skin sample related to TF-1505 was found in the laboratory unaccompanied, which is frowned upon at our facility for sake of professionalism. I was asked by one of the quality control officers to issue a warning to Mr. Arlert, only to shortly thereafter receive my own warning from some member of government authority. I was not aware, however, that TF-1505’s records were copied and distributed to and by members of a special interest group for sake of review.”  
  
There was a murmur that ran through the gallery, with some unkind looks directed toward Weilman’s group. Even Armin felt a little stunned at this, unaware that it had happened. As far as he knew, he had just been given a warning and nothing else. It made sense as to why Levi had seemed so serious about it. They had been under far more scrutiny than he thought.   
  
“Testing continued, however, once the warning was issued,” Erwin continued. “It’s to note that Mr. Arlert’s progress was entirely too amiable at that point, as he began to discern that the subject was capable of following chronological progression, found out by means of storytelling. Mr. Arlert then made a guess as to TF-1505’s true nature being soundly rooted in humanity.   
  
“However, once reports containing this information were submitted, the facility was unexpectedly issued a government-mandated labelling change for TF-1505’s status. Surprisingly, he was considered a threat to humanity and was slated for pending trial and execution.” Erwin paused at this, and if Armin hadn’t been watching, he would have missed the fleeting tiny smirk that crossed his face. “The execution proceeded as expected, although the evidence sitting before you proves that it didn’t go as planned.”  
  
Another murmur and all eyes fell to Eren. He frowned and stared down at the floor, like he wanted to shrink away from everyone.   
  
“That it does,” Zacklay agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Thank you, President Smith.”  
  
“Sir,” Erwin said before sitting back down.   
  
“As for the views of the facility now, what plans do you have?” Zacklay asked.  
  
To that, Erwin nodded to Levi who stood up. He looked bored, sighing like the inquisition was more of an aggravation than something critical. “The Trost Testing Facility believes that Eren Jaeger is of no further threat, having proven his humanity numerous times throughout the last few months that he was in custody. Our plans are just to question him and carry out non-invasive biological tests to continue our study of others like him,” he said, sitting down immediately after.  
  
His explanation was simple, and it left the crowd to glance around and mutter in confusion. It was clear they expected more, but Armin understood completely. Levi had made the facility’s opinions known. To them, Eren _wasn’t_ TF-1505 anymore. He wasn’t something that was meant to be dissected and examined.   
  
“I see,” Zacklay replied after the crowd had settled. He glanced over the papers once more before turning his attention to the other side of the room. “The Science Association and the Trost Testing Facility have made their intentions known. That leaves the floor open to the Military Police and the intention of members of the government involved with the case.”  
  
Nile stood and cleared his throat, setting his shoulders back. “The views of the Military Police have always centered around the defense of the country and the protection of its people. That being said, we see TF-1505 as a threat on multiple levels. President Smith and Director Levi aren’t wrong in their observation of his humanity, and I won’t deny it by any means as I’ve seen the reports for myself. However, we’re not sure about his future, or the reactions of the people under our jurisdiction. What’s to say his existence won’t cause a panic within the population once they know what he was?”  
  
Eren shifted at his seat and stare down at his lap at the mention. Armin could see that he desperately wanted to answer, but had a feeling that Eren was given a command not to speak unless either spoken to or given permission. Still, it was painful to watch.   
  
“I’ll now defer my answers to the Commander of the Garrison in the Trost District, Kitts Weilman. As the overseer of the Garrison in this particular city, I believe it’s his views which reflect our opinions more directly than I can express,” Nile finished before he sat back down.  
  
At the name, Armin felt a chill run up his spine. Beside him, Mikasa tensed and Jean cursed under his breath, “Not this bastard again...”  
  
Weilman looked like he had been waiting all day for that moment. He stood, his eyes wide, his arms ramrod-straight at his sides. Once he looked at Eren, his entire expression shifted to one of both disgust and fear.   
  
“There’s no doubt as to what he really _is_ ,” he began, seething. “The reports keep saying ‘ _human’_ over and over like it’s something that can just happen, like everyone’s conveniently forgotten. This _boy_ is a monster, and there’s no doubt about it!”   
  
Armin watched as Nile sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.  
  
Nevertheless, Weilman continued, his speech picking up a more frenzied tone. “And how do we know if he’s going to go berserk and destroy everything? We’ve _seen_ what they can do! Everyone in the Garrison has seen it! There’s potential there, and it’s job to destroy that kind of thing as soon as I see it. The fact you’re letting a Titan walk right through the same doors that innocent civilians are passing through might as well be a crime! What if he just _wants_ us to think that he’s like us? A hundred more like him could be here right now, and you’re just letting it happen!” He suddenly pointed an accusing finger at Eren, his own voice jumping up nearly an octave. “I say you pass judgement right now! Kill him the same way we kill all Titans! He’s no better than they are!”  
  
Eren winced away from Weilman like he was going to be attacked, just as Weilman’s portion of the gallery erupted into loud concurrment. The threats then got drowned out by a loud debate from the SA’s section. The result was a thunderous cacophony of voices, all in disagreement. It was enough to give Armin a headache, but he was more concerned with how vulnerable Eren looked. It was just what he had always feared. He was restrained and he was being threatened with the same fate all over again.   
  
Fortunately, Zacklay interceded at the right time. He banged his fist on the podium several times. Without saying a word, he managed to get the entire courtroom to eventually fall into complete silence. Zacklay then turned his attention to Weilman, his eyebrows furrowed. “I will not tolerate threats in this court, Weilman. Consider it a warning and sit down.”  
  
Weilman grimaced and opened his mouth like he was going to protest, but a quick glance from Pixis was all that he needed. He quickly sat down, staring down at the floor.  
  
In the lull that followed, Levi raised his hand. Zacklay simply nodded to him.  
  
“Sir, if I can request permission on Eren’s behalf so that he can speak for himself,” he said.  
  
Zacklay visibly considered it before nodding. “Of course,” he replied.  
  
All attention immediately shifted toward Eren. The two guards behind him inched closer, as if he was prone to rip the restraints apart. However, he held perfectly still, taking in a deep breath in order to compose himself.  
  
He and Armin had worked on it for months. Speaking, openly conversing, teaching Eren to state his opinions clearly and concisely. It had been a trial in itself, but Armin had always thought they had been successful. He took in a deep breath as well, trying to steady his nerves.  
  
“My name is Eren Jaeger,” Eren began. “Most would know me by TF-1505, the name they gave me at the facility. The thing is, I _know_ what I am. I think I’m more aware of myself than anyone else here, even the people that studied me. I’ve had a lot of time to think about things like that, and if it wasn’t for people like Armin, Dr. Zoe, or Mikasa, I don’t know if I would have been able to remember everything. But I _do_ , and if there’s anything I learned while I was in Armin’s custody, it’s that having memories and the emotions that come attached to them is what makes a human in the first place.   
  
“I spent ten years of my life as a Titan. In all that time, I remember feeling like something wasn’t right, but I wasn’t able to figure out what it was. I looked at other Titans around me and I knew I wasn’t what _they_ were. And they attacked me sometimes, but they wouldn’t attack each other. So it all made me even more sure that what ever I was, it wasn’t the same. And I can’t tell you that I’m not capable of turning back into a Titan, because honestly? I don’t know. All I can really say is that even if I could, or even if I had these inclinations or what ever they were talking about, between me, Armin, and Mikasa, we would have it under control,” he said, his voice rising in volume. He sounded more and more confident with every sentence, and it singlehandedly dissipated all of Armin’s doubts.  
  
Zacklay glanced down at the papers before looking down at Eren. “And how did you come to be a Titan in the first place? These reports state that you were able to remember with the help of Mikasa Ackerman.”  
  
Eren nodded and turned his head toward his sister, who instinctively leaned forward. “We were from the Shiganshina District, which was destroyed in a Titan attack ten years ago. I don’t remember much from before that day, but I know that my mother was killed. I saw it happen. Then, one of the military officers came to save me and my sister. I...” He paused, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “It’s kind of a blur, but I remember that I thought my mother was still at the house and I had to go back and save her. After that, I blacked out.”  
  
Mikasa raised her hand and once Zacklay inclined his head toward her in affirmation, she stood up. “It’s true, sir. Eren got loose from the officer that was carrying us. I tried to get away as well to go after him, but he wouldn’t let me go.”  
  
“If I may add,” Erwin interjected. “It was confirmed that Carla Jaeger, Eren’s mother and Mikasa’s legal guardian, was killed that day. Eren was reported as missing.”  
  
Zacklay looked between the two of them before he nodded again. “Very well. Mr. Jaeger, circumstantial evidence proves to be true. However, that doesn’t explain why you became a Titan in the first place.”  
  
Armin felt himself tense again. That was another thing they had discussed, expecting that the question would be asked in the first place. It had taken several meetings with Hanji, Levi, and Christa to come up with a theory, and now all that remained was for Eren to parrot it back to Zacklay.   
  
“We think it was a combination of high stress and an instinctive defense mechanism,” he said, careful of each word like he was prone to trip on one. Then he glanced around the room and seemed to come to the realization that everyone expected more. “I mean, I’m not a scientist, but I know what that means. I _do_ remember being scared. Like... feeling like the entire world was caving in on me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Whether or not I was attacked by a Titan and that caused the change, I’m not all that sure. But I know that I was afraid, and I knew I had to do something or else I would die, and... I wasn’t ready to go yet.” He let out a deep breath after that and settled into the chair, looking relaxed despite the destructive-looking restraints. He had said what he wanted to say, and Armin couldn’t ask him for any more than that.  
  
“I see,” Zacklay said, looking over the top of his glasses at Eren. “And would you be willing to go through extensive psychological testing to prove this theory?”  
  
“Yes, sir,” Eren replied immediately.  
  
“Even under further duress, possibly more stress?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Armin let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Now the inquisition sounded like it was going in the right direction.  
  
“Alright,” Zacklay said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and doing a quick survey of the room. “If there are any objections to this case, please state them now.”  
  
Immediately, Weilman’s entire group put up their hands, and Nile did so as well, albeit reluctantly. However, it was Pastor Nick that spoke first. He looked just as frantic as Weilman had, and as he stood, he put his arms out to his sides like he was praying. “What this boy _is_ is an abomination wearing human skin!” he started. “I have been given a great gift of clarity and even I can see that as much as he’s fooled the rest of you, he is a _threat_. He’s dangerous! All those years ago, Titans destroyed the walls that the Lord so kindly gave to us, the ungrateful and undeserving flock, and I believe that we are being tested! If you accept this boy, and let him live beyond this day, you will have _failed_ this test. I swear before all of you that he will tear down our walls!”  
  
“Damn cult,” Jean hissed from down the row. “Why do they have to make everything sound like a sermon? They’re not winning any followers by being batshit crazy.”  
  
Armin was inclined to agree, but Weilman stood up again, as did the stout man sitting beside him. “What’s to say he won’t be under _high stress_ again and turn back into a Titan? And what, you’ll just let him go because he was _protecting_ himself?”  
  
“He’s a threat to our very infrastructure!” the stout man added. “Our economy, our laws! He’ll destroy every last inch of it if you let him live!”  
  
Once more, the courtroom burst into a massive argument. It was so loud that Armin couldn’t make out a clear word in any of it. He did feel Mikasa tense up beside him, her brow furrowed.   
  
“Calm down,” Armin said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear him. “We won’t achieve anything if we start up, too. We’re as much of Eren’s representatives as he is.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she shot back venomously, but relaxed a little.   
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Armin saw Levi stand up. Armin turned to look at him, only to see Levi already looking back. He had the same expression that he had had in the room when he asked Armin to trust him, the same expression he had on the day of the execution. Armin had no idea what Levi was planning, but Levi hadn’t let him down yet. So, Armin nodded to him and Levi nodded back before saying something to Erwin and stepping over the barrier.  
  
No one paid attention to him, far too embroiled in their own arguments. Armin watched as Levi walked over to Eren, leaning forward to say something to him. Then he stood up straight and stared at the guards who slowly backed up. Only one came forward to hand Levi the keyring. Slowly, he undid every restraint. With each one that he unlocked, the noise around the room died down little by little. There were still debates going on by the time he finished, but most of the room had gone silent.  
  
Suddenly, Levi grabbed the front of Eren’s shirt and heaved him upward, only to punch him in the face with his free hand. Eren fell immediately, hitting his head off one of the metal armrests with an audible crack. He laid on the floor for only a breath of a second before Levi brutally kicked him in the side. Eren gasped in pain, curling in on himself, blood from his head already beginning to drip onto the floor.  
  
The crowd fell into a stunned silence as Levi continued, stomping on Eren’s fingers as he went to cover the wound on his side. There was another crack as some his fingers were broken. Beside Armin, Mikasa jerked and attempted to stand, but both Armin and Jean held her back.  
  
“Wait!” Jean hissed out.   
  
“Let him do what he has to,” Armin said, pulling Mikasa back down into her chair. It wasn’t anything Armin wanted to watch, and the very sight of Eren being pulverized made him horribly nauseous. However, he understood.  
  
Levi pulled Eren up by his hair before kneeing him in the jaw so hard that one of his teeth was knocked out, skittering across the floor with a thin trail of blood following it. At that point, all Eren could do was groan in pain, one hand bloody and broken, the other bruised as he attempted to protect his face. However, Levi grabbed his other hand and twisted it back, not hard enough to break his wrist but certainly with enough force to sprain it. Both hands rendered useless, Eren was left practically dangling from Levi’s fist, one eye bruised enough that even Armin could see the thick circle of bluish-black, blood pouring from his mouth, a blossom-shape of it forming through the fabric of his shirt.   
  
“W-wait,” Nile began, and Levi paused just long enough to look at him imploringly. Nile faltered and cringed at Eren’s appearance. “What if he loses control and becomes a Titan?”  
  
“Funny,” Levi replied, yanking on Eren’s hair and making Eren groan again. “I would have thought he might have done it by now. Then again, if you’re so set on killing him, what’ll stop him from changing then?”  
  
He let Eren go and Eren dropped to a heap on the floor, audibly gasping for breath. Levi looked down at his hands and sighed with irritation before glancing up at Zacklay. Nile, as well as Weilman’s entire group, looked completely mortified, but made no attempt to protest. They simply stayed silent.   
  
“Sir,” Levi addressed Zacklay. “If Eren was to lose control, I will put him down without a second thought. However, it’s in my personal belief that Eren will never go that far. I’m just saying I’m completely prepared for the worst-case scenario.”  
  
Zacklay seemed to deliberate this, having maintained a completely neutral expression during the entire beating. He looked at the papers one more time before he sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “I’d say the boy has proven himself adequately. On that note, I leave him in the custody of Erwin Smith for further jurisdiction. This case belongs to the Science Association now.”  
  
\---  
  
Jean and Hanji had helped escort Eren to the side room, setting him on the couch as Hanji dashed off to go get a first aid kit. However, in the short time between that point and the beating, Eren seemed to have perked back up considerably. He was completely aware, if a little irritated as he looked down at his broken hand.   
  
Hanji return and sat down in front of him, enthusiastically pulling out a roll of gauze and beginning to tape his hand. “That was amazing, Eren!” she cheered. “Just like we had planned. You’re a natural!”  
  
“Thanks, I think?” he replied, wincing at the pain in his jaw.  
  
“Ah, well, Levi did go a little far, but that totally sealed our case!”  
  
Levi sat down beside Eren and crossed one leg over the other, even as Eren flinched away from him. “It was necessary,” he said dully.  
  
“Yeah, I get that,” Eren retorted. “But did you really have to break my hand?”  
  
“I just meant to twist it a little.”  
  
Hanji finished applying the gauze and secured it in place with a metal clip. She grinned and patted it, despite Eren wincing. “I can say that Mikasa was ready to do the same to you,” she said, smiling at Mikasa who rolled her eyes.  
  
“I’ll make it up to him,” Mikasa said.  
  
Eren looked between them as Hanji pulled out a wad of cotton and a pair of hemostats. She dabbed the cotton with an alcohol wipe before gently touching it to a few stray cuts at the corner of Eren’s mouth. Eren grimaced before glaring at Levi. “You know, I _really_ prefer it when you don’t inflict physical damage on me? You know, like hacking my neck open, beating the daylights out of me? Not too fond of it.”  
  
“It’s for a good cause,” Levi deadpanned.  
  
Armin watched the entire scene play out as he sat on the armrest beside Eren. He smiled at the exchange, even as he did feel an enormous well of sympathy at the sight of the bruises dotting Eren’s skin. Still, it was a small price to pay for Eren’s freedom.   
  
Eren leaned back in his seat and looked up at him, grinning despite himself. “So, what next?”  
  
Without hesitation, Armin leaned forward, resting his forehead on the crown of Eren’s head. He had to resist the urge to nuzzle into his hair, but relief flooded him like a deluge and he gave in anyway.   
  
“The rest of your life,” he said.

**Author's Note:**

> DEDICATION TIME! (AO3 / tumblr)
> 
> Kai (minorthirds / bhunihope) - For being an amazing writer in her own right, as well as encouraging me and us being mutual ecstatic fans for each other's work. Honestly, I'm pretty sure that Kai's at least 50% of the reason SADE exists now. ;w; 
> 
> Squid/Candi (catsonfire / danchousnachos) - Okay, first of all, Squid is easily one of my favorite fic authors (Art of War comprises part of my lifeblood) so becoming friends is one of those things I'm probably going to weep over for the next thirty years so there's that. Anyway, I tried to get this done in time for her birthday, and although I'm a little late, the dedication still stands and this thing is a gosh darn birthday present and no one can convince me otherwise. But yes, Squid's been like the greatest cheerleader as of late so she deserves every word in this fic.
> 
> Mary (sogma) - Mary's pretty much been here since I started writing TLE and I always told myself I'd put her in a dedication because she feels like the TLE cornerstone. HI MARY I LOVE YOU.
> 
> Sarah (the-ligeia) - So Sarah has been my supreme writing buddy as of late and between Skyping and texting each other about this fic and other ones, she's been such a huge inspiration! There's quite a few plot points in this fic that I owe to her being a genius about this kind of thing. <333
> 
> Sam (RazeHell / courageandknowledge) - Sam has literally been here since the beginning (actually since 7th grade), and she was honestly the one who put TLE into motion after convincing me to post it in the first place. A quick Skype roleplay, a lot of typing, and about 5,000 stupid jokes later, here we are and we're still high-fiving over it.
> 
> Laura (aesirborn / reiryugazacki)  
> Annabel (statikos / sortita)  
> Thunder (thunderdownongreenside)  
> Cassie (perfectspearofconquest)  
> Abbie (phisexual)  
> Abby (gladiatoraviator)  
> Zoey (zilleniose)  
> Aither (meaty-san / clearlyamachine)
> 
> And anyone else I might have forgotten (probably a few people SOB) because I'm antsy to post this and my fingers are freezing. Anyway, I love each and every one of you. 8w8


End file.
